It has been a whirlwind 24 hours for 21 Savage. The Atlanta rapper was arrested by police on Sunday along with Young Nudy but Savage’s arrest is much more serious as he faces possible deportation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.).

Now his lawyer, Charles H. Kuck has released a statement saying that 21 applied for a U-Visa in 2017 and had a 2014 federal drug conviction expunged from his record. A U-Visa is available to those who are the victim of a crime. ICE claimed that the rapper was originally born in the United Kingdom and is not authorized to be in the United States.

“The Department of Homeland Security has known his address and his history since his filing for the U Vista in 2017, yet they took no action against him until this past weekend,” Kuck said. He added, “As a minor, his family overstayed their work visas, and he, like almost two million other children, was left without legal status through no fault of his own. This is a civil law violation, and the continued detention of Mr. Abraham-Joseph serves no other purpose than to unnecessarily punish him and try to intimidate him into giving up his right to fight to remain in the United States.”

Per TMZ, 21’s only conviction, a 2014 federal drug charge, was expunged from his record last September. Savage’s lawyer belives that this may have played a role in why his client was arrested Sunday (Feb 3).

“[I.C.E.’s arrest of Savage is] based upon incorrect information about prior criminal charges,” Kuck said, adding that I.C.E “is refusing to release him on bond of any amount. We and he will fight for his release, for his family, and his right to remain in our country. No one would expect less from him.”

Read the full statement via Buzzfeed below.

"As a minor, his family overstayed their work visas, and he, like almost two million other children, was left without legal status through no faults of their own."